Chris Wondolowski proving that it is all about the game and how you play it (photo credit: Lyndsay Radnedge/Center Line Soccer)
The San Jose Earthquakes opened their 2017 campaign with a convincing 1-0 victory at home against Montreal Impact thanks to a first half goal from Anibal Godoy. San Jose controlled much of the match with high pressure from new signing Marco Ureña and forced Montreal into a number of mistakes. Montreal was never able to get their offense rolling against the Quakes’ defense that ran out two new faces in homegrown left back Nick Lima and German defensive midfielder Florian Jungwirth. Both players played an integral role in holding the Impact to only 5 shots during the match and none on target.
San Jose looked aggressive out of the gate, getting their first chance a minute in as Tommy Thompson made a run up the right side and got a cross to the head of Chris Wondolowski in the center of the box. The ball was just behind the captain though and the header missed over the crossbar.
Montreal saw the first card of the match in the 14th minute as Chris Duvall was issued a yellow card for pulling backl Godoy as he attempted to start the breakaway attack.
Godoy would break open the scoring in the 17th minute as Godoy poked away a pass from Hassoun Camara to Patrice Bernier. The deflection went right to a waiting Wondolowski who fed Godoy in stride for a classy chip over an oncoming Evan Bush and the Quakes took a 1-0 lead.
Montreal wouldn’t get a shot off until the 27th minute when Ambroise Oyongo took a one-timer from 30 yards out but his effort was nowhere near the target, flying high and left.
Fatai Alashe would get the first yellow card of the Quakes 2017 season for a poor challenge from behind on Hernån Bernadello in the 35th minute.
While the Impact began to find some positive attacking play towards the end of the half, San Jose would continue to get the better chances on goal, thanks largely to their ability to press high with Marco Ureña up top.
Ureña almost opened his scoring with San Jose in the 41st minute as the striker was able to dance his way into the box and get off a shot but Bush managed to stretch down low to push the shot just wide.
Another yellow would be issued to Montreal in the 45th minute to Camara as he took down Ureña just outside the top left corner of the 18 yard box. Dawkins’s service on the free kick would be extremely disappointing though as he put a low cross behind his teammates in the box.
The clearance bounced to Thompson outside the box but his shot was deflected out for a corner. The Impact dealt with the resulting corner well though and cleared the cross as the first half would end.
Homegrown player Nick Lima would get a curling shot towards the net to start the second half but his shot wouldn’t curl enough and ended up wide of goal.
Victor Bernårdez almost found himself with a yellow in the 49th minute for a rash tackle at the top left corner of the box on Piatti but while the foul was called, referee Baldomero Toledo chose to keep his card in his pocket.
Thompson had another chance to score his first goal for San Jose in the 65th minute as a bouncing ball in the box found his foot for a shot on goal but Bush was plenty ready for it and managed to push the shot wide.
Toledo would go to his back pocket in the 66th minute as Camara slid in recklessly on Godoy and caught none of the ball giving the center ref no choice to show Camara his second yellow and resulting red card ejection.
Thompson’s bid for an MLS goal would end in the 69th minute as he would come off as part of a double substitution that saw him replaced by Shea Salinas and Simon Dawkins replaced by new signing Jahmir Hyka.
Danny Hoesen would also get his Quakes debut in the 79th minute, replacing another new signing in Ureña who looked very good in his first match.
Salinas almost made his mark on the match in the 80th minute as he was able to find space on the right side of the box and get a shot across the front of goal, only to have it go wide of the post.
San Jose should have doubled their tally in the 86th minute as Hoesen intercepted a back pass and fed Hyka wide right for a cross. His pass was weighted near perfectly to a streaking Wondolowski wide open in the box but the captain pushed his volley wide of the near post.
San Jose wouldn’t need the goal after all as Montreal was never able to get their offense clicking thanks to active ball pressure from the Quakes midfield and forwards.
Summary
San Jose: Bingham; Lima, Bernårdez, Jungwirth, Francis; Thompson (Salinas 69’), Godoy, Alashe, Dawkins (Hyka 70’); Wondolowski, Ureña (Hoesen 79’)
Montreal: Bush; Duvall, Camara, Ciman, Oyongo; Oduro (Tabla 63’), Bernier (Lovitz 74’), Donadel, Bernadello (DePuy 83’), Piatti; Mancosu
Scoring
San Jose: Godoy 17’ (Wondolowski)
Montreal: None
Discipline
San Jose: Alashe (Yellow 35’), Salinas (Yellow 90+1’)
Montreal: Duvall (Yellow 14’), Camara (Yellow 45+1’, Second 66’), Mancosu (Yellow 83’)
San Jose Earthquakes
Montreal Impact
